Basking in the euphoria of winning the off-season governorship election held recently in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma, has signed into law, a bill extending the retirement age of teachers to 65 years or 40 years in service.
The governor, who signed the bill to domesticate and harmonise the retirement age of teachers in the state to 40 years of service or 65 years of age, commended the teachers and appealed to them to show more commitment to their duties.
Recall that before the recent development, the prevailing retirement age for teachers was either 35 years of service or 60 years of age.
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Uzodinma recalled the enthusiasm that greeted a similar exercise at the federal government level by the president and said he was glad to domesticate it in order to encourage teachers in public schools in Imo State.
“Having given the teachers extra five years, they are expected to bring out their time and work harder to give Imo children the best form of teaching and learning and graduate them as the best in Nigeria,” the governor said, describing the gesture as value addition. He challenged the teachers to show more commitment and seriousness to their duties.
Uzodinma told them that the “law is to encourage them to have a sense of work security and be more effective and efficient in their duties.”
Chike Olemgbe, the speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, who presented the bill to the governor, said it was an executive bill forwarded to the House and was passed after the third reading on November 16, 2023.”
He expressed delight that it was the first bill to be passed by the 10th Imo State House of Assembly under his watch and commended the governor as one who has “shown concern for the welfare of his people”.
